New Light
by Facepalm-Aholic
Summary: When Sasuke Returns unexpectedly, Sakura questions how much she has really evolved. SasuxSakuxKaka Warning: Mature situations eventually!
1. Prologue

Hey ya'll!

This is my first fanfiction ever, I'm excited to say! I have an idea where this is going, and hope you all will like it. Any constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated. It`s a little short, but that`s just because this is the prologue. It will definitely get longer when the story develops.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don`t own Naruto, but that would be sweeeet. D: For Christmas maybe.

**Prologue: An Unexpected Visitor**

"There! How does that feel?"

The little boy rubbed the leaking moisture from his face haphazardly, trying to look like a man. He squared his shoulders and gave a blinding smile to the medic who healed the scrapes along his leg.

"Thanks, Miss!" He hopped down from the paper-covered patient seat, grabbing on to his mother's hand as Sakura straightened from her kneeling position. The mother accompanying the young boy gave her thanks, and guided him from the hospital room.

Sakura smiled to herself, staying behind to prepare the room for another patient. The young were so innocent and bright, she thought to herself. After the Fourth Shinobi War, it was becoming more frequent to see silly accidents rather than life-threatening battle wounds. Of course, she couldn't complain about this; things in Konoha hadn't been this settled in a long time. The war had only been over for a few months, but the toll could still be seen if you looked hard enough. But overall, life had seemingly taken a positive turn for the Leaf ninja since then. She just wished that there was someone that she could share these things with. Despite what she desperately wanted, she could not have the boy who was lost to them so long ago.

Making her way swiftly to the receptionists' desk, Sakura dropped off the paperwork for all the citizens that she had seen during the day. She quickly punched out for the next on-duty medic, and changed into her regular clothes. Waving good-bye to the receptionist, she exited the hospital and set her course for home.

The day had been flawless; until...

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

Sakura stopped mid walk and almost stumbled into a civilian. She turned angrily towards the obnoxious shout, hoping to silence Naruto. He was not going to ruin the great day she was having if she could help it.

"What is it you want, Naruto?" she said, slightly exasperated. "Can't you just-"

"But Sakura-chan! It's Sasuke!"

Sakura's eyes widened considerably, while her heart quite literally skipped a beat. She raised a shaking hand to steady herself on Naruto's shoulder.

"What do you mean? What about Sasuke?" She hated how distressed she sounded.

"He was spotted a few miles from Konoha, alone. The Team of Genin that saw him were warned not to approach while backup arrives..."

Sakura stared at Naruto dumbfounded. Sasuke was coming, and they were just standing around talking about it? Why weren't they on the way to meet him? Even if his intent was less that peaceful, she was not going to stay put!

"Can you tell me exactly _why_ we're still here? Let's go, Naruto!"

Naruto grinned; "That's exactly why I'm here. We're going to get him, and this time, we're doing it together!"

Nodding, Sakura quickly tied her hair back, and donned a serious expression, looking towards the village gates with determined eyes.

_This is for you, Sasuke._

Thank you for reading, and don`t forget to review!

(Gives reviewers cookies as a bribe) ;)


	2. Chapter 1

A/N: Thank you to _Topfooler, princessofd, and wingedmercury_ for being my first and very kind reviewers! 3 Now that life has slowed down, chapters should come out more frequently.

New light – Chapter 1

So tired.

Sasuke couldn't imagine being any more exhausted than he felt right at that moment. His mind felt sluggish, and imagining the past took such a toll on his psyche that he remained emotionless for the entire trek to Konoha. It was all over anyway, and he felt too trapped in his own head to even consider himself half-sane, so why bother dwell on such things? He really was tired.

Those fortunate enough to be on the outskirts on his mental ramblings would never imagine that this blank-faced, handsome (yet weary-eyed) young man had such inner turmoil. His ragged clothes couldn't dim the pride in his steps, and Sasuke continued on until he could feel familiar territory, where the foundation for his heartaches and torment had lain for years.

Sometimes he would forget what else had lain there. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. He didn't care much if they blamed him for anything.

Naruto and Sakura, or even Kakashi had seldom been on his mind for the past while. The hunt for Itachi had occupied everything in his existence for such a long time that everything else took a back burner.

Looking around at the familiar greenery, Sasuke knew he was no more than a few miles away from the village gates. In fact, he was surprised that Naruto hadn't butted in as usual, nagging him before he could even step foot in the village. It also seemed appropriate that Sakura be with the moron. Not that he cared.

_SNAP._

Tensing slightly, Sasuke continued nonchalantly, creating the illusion of not knowing someone was watching him. Straining his ears, the continued snaps and steps throughout the nearby trees were enough to tell him that there was no enemy; simply a passing group of inexperienced genin, who suddenly became aware of his presence. Along with chakra signatures, he could hear their footsteps fading hurriedly, but cautiously, most likely off to warn the village of the entrance of the notorious Sasuke Uchiha. Damn right.

The meeting between himself and his former teammates seemed to be something he could no longer prolong. Had he made the right choice?

"So. You really think you can just show up, no repercussions, no nothing, despite your wanted status?" Tsunade slammed her palms on her desk, the stone walls of her office trembling slightly. "The only reason I haven't restrained you is because of those two." She gestured to the skittish teens standing on either side of him. Naruto didn't even have the decency to appear the least bit embarrassed about this fact.

"But Sasuke's hardly got any chakra left!" Naruto protested. "What's he going to do?"

Sasuke scowled slightly; "Don't underestimate me."

Both his teammates smiled at the familiarity. Naruto looked close to jumping out of his skin in excitement, the thrill of having his best friend in the village once more too powerful to dishearten him.

"Shut up! Both of you." Tsunade's eyes rose to Sakura's. "You've been awfully quiet through this. Planning Sasuke's bail-out?"

Sakura's smile fell quicker than it came. As much as she'd like to have a free Uchiha in their midst, she wasn't stupid enough to think this was wise right now. His track record wasn't looking so good, and how would they know if they could really trust him now? She'd be damned if she turned her back on him again.

She didn't share these thoughts. "Not exactly…" she started cautiously. "I'm just wondering what the catch is."

At that moment a presence was sensed, and the atmosphere in the room became much more apprehensive, almost as if everyone expected Sasuke to suddenly jump out the window and make a run for it.

"Yamato, now!" Tsunade shouted, making Naruto and Sakura jumped back, whipping their heads around, expecting the wood element ninja to pop out. Instead, tendrils of snake-like wood shot out of the floor and ceiling around Sasuke, caging him into an unbreakable wooden fortress. Sasuke stood silent the through the whole process, unmoving and still seemingly emotionless.

Kakashi and Sai appeared in clouds of smoke on either side of the Hokage, stunning Sakura, and Naruto. Yamato slunk out of the wooden floor, hands positioned on its surface.

Tsunade ran through some seals, procuring a white scroll from the air.

"We came as soon as we got the alert, Tsunade," Kakashi stood in his relaxed position. "It seems we were right on time." The Hokage acknowledged him with grunt, and then proceeded to unravel and read from the scroll.

"Sasuke Uchiha, you will be prosecuted for the following crimes; abandoning the village of Konoha, acts of treason, evasion of retrieval squads, attempted mutiny and murder, cooperation with a known enemy force, and until this point, plain old disobedience." The woman's stern gaze flipped from parchment to the man she addressed. "I think we're all curious; what is your position on these accusations?"

"Tsunada-sama–" Sakura started, taking a quick step towards Sasuke, though Naruto put a hand on her shoulder to hold her back. This whole thing also seemed a bit extreme to him.

"Obviously this is some kind of joke Sakura-chan, don't worry. Everything will be–"

"I am… guilty." His face remained unchanged.

Sakura's heart almost stopped in her chest. Sasuke admitted to being guilty, with no other snide, prideful remarks? Naruto began to protest, but his banter became unnoticed by all as what Sasuke said was absorbed. She could see the Uchiha survivor had his head bowed, eyes covered by dark bangs, his posture slightly stooped. Now that she really _looked _at him, she saw that he seemed a bit more ragged than when she'd last seen him, more worn out. Perhaps the years of hunting and running from the law had taken its' toll on her old friend. Her observations were cut short when Tsunade began speaking again, and she struggled to listen carefully.

"You just saved yourself an instant trip to the gallows, Uchiha. Congratulations." She frowned, crossing her arms under her chest. "Due to your unfortunate circum-stances, the council had agreed some time ago to one condition on your execution. If you, being fully aware of the crimes committed, acknowledge said crimes, and upon a free-willed return to Konohagakure, do not oppose the forces that retain you, you will be spared from certain demise. Realize this, brat; I've only pushed this exception for the sake of your teammates. Things have calmed down over the last few years, but I still don't really give a damn about what happens to you."

"Wait, what?" Naruto's gazed bounced from the Hokage to Sasuke numerous times.

"Sometimes I wonder why you're in the running for Hokage, Dickless," Sai supplied. Naruto shot him a dirty look.

"Enough, Sai." Running a hand through his silver hair, Kakashi clarified. "It's okay Naruto. Since Sasuke came home willingly without a fight, he's been spared from immediate execution." His hand dropped tiredly, and his voice hardened. "Although, he is still responsible for his actions. Like our Hokage said, he is still guilty, former friendship or not." Sakura could only stare worriedly at Kakashi, not liking where this was going, not liking his tone.

"Right…" Naruto calmly walked up to the barrier between himself and his best friend, observing the light chakra glow that danced around the wood bars. Sasuke's back faced the blonde man, so he could only imagine what his expression was, though he guessed his imagination wasn't far off. He remembered the stoic face from their last encounter. This was probably the best outcome that he could hope for. Naruto was an optimist at heart, but he knew that because of the graveness of Sasuke's betrayal, his friend couldn't go unpunished for much longer.

Meanwhile, Sakura was stuck. There was something off about her old crush. The energy he gave off was substantially different from their last meeting, where he'd tried to kill her, the murderous intent quite apparent. Presently, his chakra was calm, and it continued to confuse her the longer she observed him. It also bothered her (only a bit, of course) that Sasuke didn't seem interested in anything. He hadn't even looked at Naruto, let alone herself. He looked like a man who had given up on something. But what exactly, she hadn't a clue.

"Don't forget Naruto, there still are circumstances that make Sasuke's case unique," Tsunade continued on. "Even with the brutality of ninja life, it's rare for most to suffer such trauma at a young age, especially within the boundaries of your own home, where it's least expected. We were hoping to try a new approach with our young avenger, here."

"You can't mean…" Sakura's eyes narrowed slightly in thought as she peered at the prisoner before her. Naruto seemed as confused as ever.

"You know exactly what I mean, Sakura. I haven't spent months on your training for nothing." Sakura simply inclined her head, recalling. Everyone else remained silent, and no one indicated whether they understood what training Sakura had been assigned to previously. They trusted their leader enough to keep their silence.

"Anyway, that's not important right now." The Hokage concluded, "Sasuke Uchiha is to be escorted to the ANBU holding cells until further notice. Kakashi, Yamato. Please do the honors."

Both ex-ANBU nodded. Wood snaked around the Uchiha's wrists, forcing them together into makeshift handcuffs in front of him. The cage surrounding him quickly retracted around him, leaving the young man freely standing before the mass of people. The two jounin approached, grasping Sasuke's upper arms. Sakura noted the slight frown set on his handsome face. Obviously he still didn't welcome invasion of his space, but he didn't look like a prisoner ready to pounce on the guards, so she kept her distance. Her sensei and teammate could handle it. Sakura could only hope for the best.

Naruto looked longingly at his best friend, disappointed that they couldn't lengthen the their time together. He didn't expect their first encounter in years to go smoothly, and things turned out better than expected. He was at least grateful that Sasuke hadn't been severely punished with no exceptions, and he could breathe easier knowing he had a fighting chance to reunite Team Seven once again.

"Would that be all Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked, eyeing his captive, and Sakura could see a slight bit of distaste thrown in there.

She waved her hand towards them flippantly, sitting down at her desk.

"You're dismissed. He's caused me enough trouble from one day."

The group vanished with a pop in the next instant, only a cloud of smoke left behind. Tsunade turned to the remaining persons, two of which still stared at the spot Sasuke had just vacated. "The rest of you may leave." Sai disappeared with a small smile.

"Also, Naruto, Sakura?" Tsunade addressed the two. "I don't want to _hear_ that you've attempted to sneak past security to catch up with Uchiha. I would advise that you be … aware … of unwanted spectators with masks tonight, and you'd be wise to avoid them. Just something for you to consider. " Tsunade rested her chin on folded hands, and winked slyly. The two leaf ninja did not need to be told twice, her message well understood.

Naruto only grinned at his leader.

Sakura could only hang her head, now unsure what to do.

The pink-haired woman had a blank face as she sat on her bed in her plain second storey apartment bedroom. She really hadn't expected this opportunity. In her hands she loosely held the official photo of her team's genin days. She stared at the photo, though she her eyes were glazed and unfocused, thinking of her current predicament with black hair. She was definitely not ready deal with this.

Nighttime was approaching, and she had a decision to make. Time was running out.

To see, or not to see Sasuke? She fought with herself, unable to come to a viable conclusion. Sakura had never imagined this version of him; the one with a peaceful aura, and a non-threatening tone. She recognized the man who was a ruthless killer– _that_ she could understand. Hell, she had spent years fighting that version of her old friend. She even considered that it was all a ruse to lull Konoha into a false state of security while he plotted revenge, but she quickly dismissed the idea. The man that she had seen today… he was changed somehow, and it made her feel unprepared. All plans of telling him off and unleashing her anger flew out the window with his lack of confrontation. Inner Sakura danced around joyously, glad that he had come, back, but her mind knew to be uncertain. She hoped her elation hadn't been too obvious during the meeting, though Sasuke didn't seem to notice one way or another.

In the end, it was always easier to deal with his anger than with his stoniness.

At least, his anger is what she had prepared herself for. Now, she was at a loss for how to proceed. She usually trusted Naruto's judgement, but he couldn't be much more insightful in this situation than she was. It threw her off that Sasuke was unpredictable to her now, especially when she had thought things were starting to get under control, where she could know how to talk to him. Besides, it wasn't just about herself anymore. She had done some things that she wasn't proud of since Sasuke had left…

_Knock, knock._

Startled from her tormented thoughts, Saukra quickly set the photo facedown on the nightstand –she had tormented herself enough for a lifetime– and headed quietly for the entrance to her unexpected visitor. Half-heartedly, she opened the door to achingly familiar white-haired jounin. Her mouth opened to voice her surprise, but was interrupted by his hand cupping her face gently. Sakura gasped, her pulse quickening.

"Please, don't go."

A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated, and I will be putting out chapters much more quickly now. 3 ciao!


	3. Chapter 2

_Thank you for the lovely reviews :]_

New Light – Chapter 2

"_Please, don't go."_

Sakura could've sworn that he almost sounded desperate, pleading. His exposed eyebrow was turned down slightly, his eye showing a bit of emotional strain, which she knew meant a lot from her personal experience with this man. But Sakura wasn't going to let it show how much he could still affect her. She was still stubborn after all this time.

"What do you mean?" She swatted his hand away harshly, feigning innocence. "I really don't know what you're talking about. Even if I did, it would be none of you business."

Kakashi recoiled almost imperceptibly, not unmarked by her words. He would never admit it, though. "Really Sakura, I think I know what's happening, maybe even better than you do. Tsunade would have offered you something. Naruto too." He paused for a moment. Sakura remained quiet and defiant, so Kakashi spoke again. "Look at what she's done for Sasuke already, for you. She's probably even loosened security so that you can visit him without anyone knowing."

The young woman before him couldn't help but avert her a gaze for a second too long at his last statement. She hoped he hadn't noticed, but things never usually go according to Sakura's agenda.

"I knew it." His expression was one of dismay. "Alright. I'll leave you to it, then." He turned sharply, swung himself gracefully over the rail along her apartment, and jumped down to the street without a sound.

The girl he left behind stood in her doorway, still overwhelmed and shocked at his quick departure. With a huff, she slammed the door to regain a semblance of control over her feelings, which were threatening to burst and destroy her sanity. Who cared about his opinion anyway? She turned off all the lights in her living space and stomped over to room to reclaim her bed. In an attempt at meditation, Sakura sat cross-legged and rested her hands on her knees, breathing slowly to relax her body. The window in her room was cracked open, letting in a breeze that slowly cooled her temper.

Her thoughts were not angry, but always frantic. Her face was painted with a slight frown, her outward calm not perfected. What nerve, that stupid man, she thought. Maybe she shouldn't be so angry, but still… How could he come to her and make such a request? It made her want to scream. Or, preferably, rip his testicles off and throw them off the Hokage monument. But she knew that wouldn't be enough. It wouldn't make her feel better in the end.

But now Sasuke was in the picture. Was she happy about it, now that it was reality? Surprisingly, yes. She was grateful after seeing him, something she wasn't so sure about only a few years ago. She would at least hope that he wanted friendship, or even a simple non-violent agreement. She was lacking in this area since, unfortunately, Sakura's relationship records weren't the longest. Since the Uchiha had left, she had only been on a few dates here and there, some older chunin and jounin who desperate enough to ask her. But Sakura had always sported a strict hands-off rule, even though none of them had progressed far enough to bring it up. They probably didn't want her that badly if they couldn't wait, anyway- their relations never lasted long. Why, she couldn't figure out. But if they didn't want her, what made her good enough for Sasuke? She obviously wasn't good enough for a certain silver-haired… God, he was driving her crazy today!

When Sakura opened her eyes next, it was due to the rumbling in her stomach. Out in the streets night had fallen, and lanterns lit the walkways below her, though she could see they had been vacated. Noting the clock on her nightstand that read a bold "_12:17", _the Jounin leapt off the bed, her resolve steady and mind made up. Still dressed in the casual clothes she had worn during the day, Sakura moved quickly to her meager kitchen for a to-go protein bar, and headed to the door. After placing a fast yet complex genjutsu on her apartment to fool whoever decided to check on her, she dashed into the dark, her sights set.

Naruto slipped through Konoha, trying to seem unsuspicious. The crowd around him made him more paranoid by the minute. He wondered if should have stopped by Sakura's place before heading out. Sometimes he felt that he should just leave her be, and this seemed to be the time to do it.

People thought he was stupid, but sometimes he could be quite observant.

He knew the history Sakura had with Sasuke, and all the things she has been through here in her home village since his rival had left. He also knew that if she wanted to, she would come on her own. She didn't need him to guide or babysit her, but he would always be her friend, and she his. He didn't know if he should expect her tonight; he would have to be patient.

He landed softly on a rooftop, then leapt onto the nearby windowsill that was his current destination. He rapped his knuckles on the window, and the homeowner let him enter.

"Hey, Sai. Thanks a lot for helping me with this." Naruto gave him a friendly slap on the shoulder, to which prompted slightly widened eyes from the ANBU unsure of how to respond. Naruto then walked past him to his refrigerator, digging for food and ignoring Sai's uncertainty in this social situation. Sai stared at the young man for a moment, and then began to speak with a small smile.

"That's what friends are for. Isn't it?" He asked honestly.

"Mmmrph," Naruto mumbled through a mouthful of leftover rice, then swallowed thickly. "You're getting better at this friendship thing, Sai. I knew I could count on you. Now. Where do we start?"

Sai pulled up a well-concealed floorboard in his kitchen, and retrieved a rolled up parchment with a gold seal placed purposefully on the seam. He sat down at the table and Naruto followed suit, rice bowl in hand. The pale ninja expertly undid the seal, and rolled into out smooth onto the surface like he'd done it a thousand times. And he probably had, Naruto thought.

The blueprints portrayed many floors of long corridors and small rooms, which were labeled as holding cells. The further underground the floor lay, the more secret and unmarked the level appeared. Naruto could see that the more extreme wacko shinobi were probably kept there, since little information was given. Obviously something was up if they weren't giving out information. If there was one thing Kakashi-sensei had taught him, it was to always look beyond what you saw, predicting and preparing for the unknown.

"Alright." Sai pointed to a large portion of the map, 15 floors under unground. "This is the area where Sasuke is being held. Or, more like where he was scheduled to be held. I don't think the location would have changed merely because he decided to play nice."

Naruto frowned and placed his cheek on his fist in impatience. "Well, that's nice and all. But how the hell am I supposed to get down there? I don't even know where this place is!"

"It's simpler than you think. The main entrance is in Konoha Hospital, since the staff needed a convenient place to transport psychotic patients that were deemed unfit for the public. Of course, that's all in the past. Few know how to get to get there now, since the place has been unnecessary for medical purposes."

Watching Sai's neutral face, Naruto was more than slightly disturbed about this revelation, though it didn't really surprise him too much. He'd heard rumors about Konoha that held a bad reputation. Konoha definitely had enough dark history in its' repertoire.

The ANBU ignored Naruto's discomfort, and continued his dark tale. "There has been underground research in this facility, due to the large amount of psychological warfare Konoha has been receiving. But this isn't relevant to Sasuke." Naruto frowned at the sudden change in direction of Sai's ramblings.

The ninja only looked at Naruto carefully for a moment. "You are positive that you still want to see him?"

The blonde appeared outraged, and demonstrated this by standing quickly, fists clenched tightly at his side.

"Of course I do! Nothing will stop me!" Sai only appeared slightly bored at his outward reaction, and looked up at him from his seat.

"Naruto, calm down. I'm just concerned for your safety. Let me explain why."

"Oh. Right. Go ahead." Naruto dropped into his seat with a thud, his anger evaporating instantly.

His eyes looked slightly amused before he continued, "Anyway. About finding Sasuke. For one thing, you'll be found out instantly if you go through the wrong passage. Second, you'll probably be put in prison yourself for trying to help him escape. Our Hokage can't help you there."

"They'll just assume the worst. Damn council." Naruto crossed his arms and slouched in his seat, now slightly pissed off. It really would look bad to outsiders, he realized, despite his reasonings.

"Naruto… it's really important you listen and heed what I'm going to say. You can't give the council an excuse to lock you up. The Hokage gave you this window of opportunity; try not to screw it up. Sasuke may very well be sentenced to a life in those cells. Bad things happen traitors in that place, and he might not be an exception in the eyes of the council. You might never see him again after this. It will be impossible for anyone unauthorized to get in. And I can almost guarantee that there will be assassination attempts."

Sai waited for his words to sink in, watching Naruto's shadowed face. When Naruto didn't respond for a moment too long, he feared that he had perhaps crossed an unseen line somewhere during his speech.

The Knucklehead Ninja quickly looked up at him, a determined expression on his face. He stood up abruptly.

"Well, then, I'd better get going," he adjusted his forehead protector. "Seeing how it's a small window and all." He made to jump out the window, but held back. The clock on the stove read _11:52. _That was more time passing than he expected. Facing the quiet night, he turned his head slightly to grin at Sai. "Thanks for your help. I couldn't have done it without an inside man."

Then he was gone.

The pale man stared at the recently vacated spot for some time. Then he put away the evidence of conspiracy, and cleaned up Naruto's leftover, like it had never happened. He could only sit tight and hope for the best.

The hospital wasn't as thick with people as Sakura usually saw it, which would have normally been a relief. Today, she had hoped to rely on the cover of busy bodies moving through the routine of checkups and emergencies. Deciding on a henge, she disguised the colour of her hair and the shape of her eyes.

She followed the route that she had taken many times. She passed the familiar staff and some shinobi who had just come back from a rough outing. A voice she knew all too well, and Sakura paused to listen.

"Drop 'em," Sakura heard Shizune say from behind a closed door, one that she also frequently used for various medical scenarios.

"But Shizune…" She heard the sly voice of none other than Genma. "I don't _really_ need that shot. Honestly, it doesn't even hurt that– Jesus, woman! You did that on purpose!"

Sakura imagined the medic poking sharply at whatever injury the jounin sported. "Oh, quit being a baby. I barely touch you. I'll make it up to you later, if you feel entitled. Don't forget that you woke me up from my beauty sleep…"

The younger medic muffled a laugh. At least someone's relationship was still intact. She quickened her stride, and left the eavesdropping at the door, Shizune's voice fading. Now wasn't the time to dwell, and she had a broom closet to get to.

Walking at a normal pace down the building she knew so well, she noticed the lack of passerby's almost immediately. She was grateful for this now, since no one would notice a suspicious character disappearing for any length of time. Her only company was a fly that wouldn't quit buzzing around her head. That is, until she flicked it away forcefully, now irritated, her anxiety growing. So many distractions! Sakura soon reached a seemingly random door, labeled _Staff Use Only_. Flipping glances left and right, she disappeared behind the door as she had done so many times before.

The walls were lined with small bottles with twist-on caps and old medical equipment, a normal sight for a medical Centre. The place appeared sterile and easy to overlook. A quick sweep of her gaze told her no one was around, and she felt no human presence in the small room. Sakura was aware that this room was mostly for show, since shinobi medics had practically no use for things like morphine, and ibuprofen. Chakra did the job much better, with fewer side effects, and the body never became immune to the healing power of chakra, unlike with other treatments. Morphine was used only in severe cases, or when there was a shortage of medics, as far as Sakura knew. She easily ignored all these stockpiled artifacts and approached the closet in the far corner of the room, dropping the jutsu that changed her appearance.

It seemed almost comical how easy it was to break into the basement. It helped when you had connections, of course. Now her mind was steadily filling with dark hair and pale skin as she neared her goal.

The door swung open for her, and she shoved aside the cleaning supplies. She whipped through seals, the motions practiced and easy. _Tiger. Hare. Horse. Tiger. Bird. Dragon. Serpent. _The wall she faced glowed with a spiraled seal of blue. She pressed her hand gently over the seal for a moment, and it unraveled at her touch. Withdrawing, the walls parted down the middle, sliding open and revealing a stone staircase fit for a creepy dungeon. Sakura always wondered why they had to make it look as decrepit as possible. Seriously, it was bad enough without the horror-movie décor, burning torches and all that. She also wondered what Naruto would say about it, but quickly banished thoughts of him. He would find a way on his own.

Sakura took one look back, assuring her solitary status. She gathered her courage, and took the first steps to her old love.

The sage ninja sat atop the roof of the hospital, his energy presently entwined with the natural energy surrounding him. His eyes were closed in concentration, the rim of color present in this form. He felt the people in their homes, the insects, animals in the surrounding forests and the foliage, which carried thriving life. Naruto sifted through the varying auras, attempting to find a clue, preferably an obvious entrance into this prison. Someone had to know how to get down there. He checked on Sai's presence, to check up on him. He hadn't been intercepted by ANBU, so that was promising. He then focused on Sakura's house, unsure of what she had decided. He almost expected her to be pacing the floors raw in her anxiousness, but was surprised to find that he could not feel her presence at all in that area.

The leaf shinobi's senses danced around at lightning speed until they finally rested on her, and he was slightly befuddled that she was coming right towards him. She couldn't have sensed his presence. Her aura felt too focused, and it wasn't on him. They might be friends, best friends even, but he knew that she despised people that meddled in her affairs. She had obviously not come for him, so there must have been another reason, an emergency? She didn't rush as if there was one… Then, Naruto was hit with realization.

She knew something that he didn't.

He_ could_ follow her, to get answers. If he did, she might retreat. Sakura deserved to see the avenger, and he couldn't let himself stand in her way of happiness, even if it was because of her stubbornness.

"Geez Sakura, you make things so complicated…." Naruto muttered to himself.

If Sakura was here with a motive, then she probably knew how to get to Sasuke, he pondered. All he had to do was spy on her, then sneak in behind. Simple enough. They were in this together, even if she fought back a bit. He was good at being persistent.

He tracked her through the hospital from his position on the sloped roof, and found her soon hovering around a room that held Shizune and Genma, though she quickly moved on from them, ending up in an isolated room. He observed her hand seals, and Naruto memorized them. Then, with no warning, she disappeared with a blinding light, and the door was firmly shut behind her. 

Well, damn. That was fast.

The to-be hokage scrambled to his feet, realizing the longer he waited, the further Sakura would get away from him. Avoiding lighted areas, he lowered himself from the room and proceeded to crawl silently down the building with chakra-infused hands. He spotted an open window and swung himself in neatly, passing a patient in slumber. A minute later, he was closing the door to the secret room quietly behind himself, counting his lucky stars that he hadn't been detected. He didn't waste any time and quickly unlocked the passage in the way Sakura had, praying that she hadn't done anything additional that he could have missed. But luck was on his side now, and the walls parted smoothly for him, and he set out down the dark passageway after her.

He felt like he'd stepped through a sheet of ice. He was reminded of Orochimaru's hideout, but even that seemed brighter and less… _wet_. The damp crept through his orange and black clothing, chilling him. The lamps around him did little to warm the stone, and he guess that the further he went, the colder it would get. Cold be damned, Naruto picked up the pace and went to find his pink-haired lead.

…

Sakura could hardly feel the icy bite from the wall on which her back was pressed. The corridor she was occupied was T-shaped, and she was fortunate enough to be perpendicular to the long hallway, out of sight.

_Pat, pat, pat…. _

She could hear the footfalls of the usual night guard only feet from her, his boots echoing. Remaining as still as possible, she hoped he would continue on and not turn the corner, lest she be revealed. After a quick genjutsu to shield herself from being recognized, Sakura steadied her breathing and tensed, waiting for him to pass. After a moment of silence, and retreating steps, the medic calmed down enough to plot her next move. In the midst of her concentration, a hand settled on her shoulder.

Sakura almost jumped out of her skin. She rotated sharply and smacked the assailant right in the nose, causing him to fall ungracefully onto his ass.

"Jeez, Sakura." He whispered harshly, holding his face. "It's just me!" _Me_ was indeed Naruto. Now she felt kind of bad. Although, he really should have known not to sneak up on her.

"Oh, don't be that way," she knelt down beside him to fix him up. "You're just lucky I didn't use any real force. You face would have been in a million pieces." Naruto shuddered a bit, and looked sheepish. Sakura made quick work of his nose, and they both rose. "You followed me that whole time. I'm impressed."

Naruto looked a bit ashamed, though he didn't deny her claim. "Like I've always said. We can do this together!"

"Shhh! Do you _want_ to get caught? Fine. Follow me." Sakura couldn't push down the guilt that suddenly rose in her throat. Her cheeks reddened a bit, and she plundered on, gesturing for her companion to follow. They travelled in silence, dodging guards and keeping to the shadowed areas of the prison. They passed many standard cells with thick iron bars, many empty. The few cell occupants they did pass did not stir with their passing.

Sakura led them through the darkness with no hesitation. Naruto felt as though he was being pulled in random directions, though Sakura seemed certain of her route. They descended many stairs, and Naruto found he was right about his initial evaluation. It was definitely getting colder.

Eventually, Sakura was the one that broke the silence.

"Umm… about leaving you behind… You were right." Naruto glanced down at Sakura, gauging her expression. Her nerves were on end, and she prayed her face betrayed nothing. She let out a small sigh. "I shouldn't have gone without you. I'm… sorry."

Naruto smiled at her apology and stepped over a puddle. "Thanks, Sakura. I wasn't going to bother you. But… when I sensed you here… I should have figured you'd come anyway, even after everything with Kakashi." Sakura winced slightly at his last words, but wasn't offended by his honesty.

She cleared her throat uncomfortably. "Let's head out. We're almost there." She took off fast, but her friend easily caught up. Darkness stretched far into the distant corridors, leaving them feeling very alone, the sparse glow their only sense of light. In no time, they faced heavy double door with a spiral lock. It was hard to believe that the avenger was only beyond the seal.

The medic shooed away Naruto with a swat of her hands. She then hovered her hand over the lock and brought a green glow of energy to her fingertips, twisting her hand as if she were turning a doorknob. A light click indicated the disarming of the lock. Sakura stepped back and grasped Naruto's hand blindly, her eyes locked on the door. With the hand that didn't squeeze Sakura's tight, Naruto slowly pushed open the last physical barrier between him and his best friend.

….

_Hello there. Anticipation…. I hope I am doing a decent job with the story, and that there is no confusion (besides the obvious). Unfortunately life is busy, though updates will be more frequent now._

_R&R please :] It will help me make the story better for you all._

_Peace!_


	4. Chapter 3

New Light – Chapter 3

Sitting with his arms perched on bent knees, Sasuke wished he still had his shoes.

It was almost ridiculous that his feet were his only concern at the moment. Unarmed and unprotected, he wished the ANBU had the decency not to leave him barefooted, and feeling more vulnerable and uncertain than ever. But he would have done the same if the situation were reversed. Every little thing to make your enemy come undone was necessary. Even little things people took for granted.

Even the company of his old dysfunctional companions, Jugo, Karin and Suigetsu would have helped him shed some of the weight he felt. Sasuke almost smirked ironically at the thought; he was becoming more like his brother every day, allowing burdens to become his own. He was probably farther down that path than he would allow himself to admit.

His turmoil was forgotten as he heard light sounds outside his cell. Even with his chakra sealed, his hearing remained sharp. Whispers became more prominent, and he mentally braced himself, lifting his head in indignation for the soldiers that would come to check on him. The last thing he wanted to do was talk… about anything. Though he would not die today, he expected a form of immediate punishment or even torture, which he preferred over reliving the last 6 years away from the village. The door clicked and creaked open with a sliver of light, and Sasuke awaited his penance.

Surprisingly, Sakura's face peeked into the large room, cautious eyes no doubt scanning for dark hair and a pale complexion.

"Sasuke?" The feminine whisper called out. Had his team come to mock him? His eyes met hers after a brief moment, and she gave him a worried look. He must have looked as bad as he felt. He didn't move from his position, only watched as the intruders entered his cell. Naruto shut the out the world as he closed the door behind him, illuminating the dank hellhole with a quick katon. Sasuke tried not to squint at the sudden brightness.

"Sasuke." Naruto's face entertained mixed emotions, but his voice was steady.

"Dobe." It rolled off Sasuke's tongue naturally in response. He winced internally, regretting the casual word that was once a friendly competitive remark. He didn't notice how the woman's pained look at his lack of acknowledgement of her.

Naruto looked relieved at his response, and gave a relaxed laugh. Perhaps Sasuke should have not responded. He didn't want to give any hope he wasn't willing to fulfill.

He was then distracted as Sakura knelt down in front of him slowly, her face merely a foot from his own. He'd be damned if he'd let her touch him, let alone examine him for injuries, as he assumed she was about to do. He'd heard from Kabuto long ago that she had trained as a medic, so he was unsurprised if she would use it to her advantage to get close to him. Pathetic Sakura.

"Are you injured?" She looked at him level, and he was reminded of the uncomfortable sensation of being examined by a nurse. What was her deal? What was she trying to prove? He wished she would keep her distance as Naruto did.

"I'll heal on my own," he bit out none too friendly. It was true. After absorbing Orochimaru's strength, he healed almost as fast as Naruto had.

Sakura only nodded, and gave him a stoic once-over.

"Good."

She then slapped him across the face so hard that he saw stars.

"Sakura-chan!" He vaguely heard Naruto's surprised voice flutter through his groggy brain. Surely she gave him brain damage. The sound of his own cheekbone crunching bounced in his eardrums. He was too proud to admit to himself that he was surprised by his female ex-teammate. So, he just sat there, his head angled awkwardly to the side from the force of the blow as he digested that Sakura had indeed gotten the upper hand on him. If he didn't feel vulnerable before, he sure did now.

Just…. what the hell?

…

Sakura flexed her sore fingers, and looked down grimly at the Uchiha in front of her. She felt strangley satisfied in having broken both her teammates faces, all in one night. Now if only should could get her hands on her old sensei, she would set a record. Her blonde friend continued to gape at her in question, but she mostly ignored him. Sasuke hadn't said a word yet, but stared off to the side in obvious surprise.

"Naruto," Sakura stated, turning away from Sasuke. "You can leave here by transportation jutsu when you're ready to go. You don't carry any of the prison binds."

Then she rose, noting a slow nod from her best friend.

"I'm done here." She chanced a glance at Sasuke, who was tenderly touching his newly reddened cheek. Perhaps she should have reeled in a bit of her force, but she had a point to make. A patrol would surely come by at some point and fix him up, if he was lucky. Then she remembered that the patrol was loosened. He'd just have to live with it until tomorrow.

As she removed her gloves and slipped them into her pouch, she noticed Sasuke remained unmoving. _He'll live_, her Inner scoffed harshly.

A booming laugh from Naruto startled her, and she paused to watch him clutch his sides and double over in laughter. She couldn't help the slight tilt of her own lips at the situation. Ignoring the two idiots, the kunoichi blinked out of sight, intending to return home to a deep sleep and a nice cup of tea. She heard Naruto in between laughter say that he was surprised she'd been the lucky one to get to his pretty face first.

She supposed that hoping for a peaceful, deep sleep was a stretch, but any sleep at all this point would have been welcome. Soon after she'd left, Sakura continued to toss and turn, trying not to think about the days events, unexpected and all. How could she not? Sasuke returning was the most she could have hoped for, if not to simply give Naruto something to believe in. It was everything they had been training for.

The rage that had torn through her had been unexpected. She didn't know when devastation had turned into outward fury. Well, unexpected at first, but now it seemed almost natural. Of course she would be outraged! He thought he could just waltz back into the village just to dangle in front of her and Naruto, without asking if he's even wanted anymore? The audacity! He was the start of a downhill spiral that changed everything for her.

He may not directly be the reason she cringed every time a man tried to buy her a drink, or why she felt nauseous when she thought about any man really… but it was so satisfying to have someone to blame, because blaming herself could only make her feel worse. _If only she had been stronger at the time… _the recurring thought never ceased to haunt her.

She wondered if Naruto and Sasuke were talking right then, and about what. Would the Uchiha even converse with his old friend beyond low jibes? She would have to find out from him later, but she was sure Naruto would seek her out eventually to recount the tale.

It wasn't that Sakura didn't welcome the idea of Sasuke being with them again. It was simply a suspicious thing for him to do, being of course, a Missing Nin. How long had it been? She was already eighteen, but still felt like a child, a child that had given up so much.

Time flew by with her vigorous studies and hectic schedule, but she knew the time didn't go by unchecked. With six years of being an exile, she had to assume that Sasuke was far gone, with loyalties that were questionable. Yes, the sudden readiness to come home was off. She could only wonder what had changed to make him come back. _Or what hadn't_, Inner Sakura interjected, implying that his motives were most likely twisted and horrendous.

Of course she had every right to be suspicious! She thought almost defensively. It would be abnormal not to be. She wasn't one to give out her trust so naively anymore, even to a ninja within Konoha's ranks.

She sighed internally as that last unfortunate thought brought Kakashi to the forefront of her jumbled mind. He was the last thing she wanted to remember. With him, feelings of gut-wrenching sadness always came, but she was more proficient at squashing them down now. It was much harder before, but the last few months had eased some of the emotional knots. His recent confrontation rubbed a bit too much salt into her emotional wounds, as expected. He still made her weak after all. She tried not to show it, but it bothered her more than it should have, though she'd be a poor shinobi if he saw through her so easily.

Suddenly, Sakura felt guilty for taking out her frustrations of Sasuke's sculpted magnificence, regardless of how much he deserved it.

She covered her head with her duvet roughly and muffled complaints into her pillow, cursing men. Or, at least some men in particular. All she could do now was wait… for a trial or a release, she couldn't be sure what her mentor was planning. Her skills might finally be useful again, if Tsunade trusted her to use them.

After all her wondering, Sakura fell asleep before she could realize that Sasuke had not raised a finger against her that night, despite having rubbed half his face off.

…

Ten minutes after Sakura had gone from the cell, Naruto still shook with silent chuckles. His silent companion's sour look made it all the better. It seemed Sasuke had had enough after a while, his glare becoming dangerous as it focused on the other man.

Naruto chatted mostly to himself for a while, informing his old friend of current and old events, not caring that it was only being half absorbed. Sasuke barely noticed as the spot next to him on the floor was no longer vacant, taken by the ninja who kept rattling about happenings. His attention was mostly focused on the rhythmic dripping of water that pooled on the floor a foot where he sat. Sasuke did notice that he hesitated on some subjects, such as his old teammates, and did not divulge much about them. Almost like he was avoiding subjects unknown.

The thought made him reach for his face again distractedly, a slight frown on his lips. Surely it was purple by now. Not that he cared.

"You know you deserved it," remarked the blonde with a smirk, who paused his updates when he noticed the motion.

"… Whatever." The avenger averted his eyes for a split second too long.

Naruto's smile vanished, wondering why Sasuke had responded at all, but unable to dwell on it futher as Sasuke continued speaking.

"What's her problem?" As far as he was concerned, Sakura was still deeply and foolishly in love with him. Nothing could have change in the small village while he was gone.

"You really want to know?"

"Not really." But Sasuke knew this was only half true.

"Well let me enlighten you about something with Sakura," Ignoring his statement, Naruto suddenly became serious, much more so than Sasuke could ever remember outside of battle. "Maybe it wasn't up to you… or even your place to help. But you weren't here when it mattered."

The Uchiha only stared at his rival unsure, but not overly concerned. Usually everything was about Team Seven as a whole, not about any one person in particular… His mind was much too stretched to figure it out in his current state.

"Explain." He finally murmured in a low voice when no miracle idea came to him.

"You'll have to ask her yourself-" He glanced darkly around the chamber, "if they ever let you out of here."

….

Light filtered its' light through her window, the lack of alarm a reminder that she had no shifts or missions for the day.

Hearing the irritatingly beautiful birdsongs, she climbed out of bed and prepared for the day, grudgingly accepting that life would not wait for her. The kunoichi let her hair fall loose to her collarbones today, donning her leggings and sleeveless red top that split on either side, allowing itself to be delicately fluttered if a breeze wafted by.

She wasn't expected to do anything today, aside from her own errands. It had been over a month since she'd had a day to herself, but the thought of being stuck in her own head wasn't the most appealing thing after last night's events. After rifling through her cheesy romance novels for the fifth time, she knew it was hopeless. She had to get out and do something, anything.

As Sakura left her dwellings to head to the village center, she found it hard to simply stop thinking about it, and being by herself wasn't helping her cope. _You really don't appreciate me, _her Inner quipped. Well, maybe if you were a better distraction, then we wouldn't need to find it elsewhere, eh? She retorted halfheartedly to herself.

Perhaps a friend would take the sting away, if she could find one. The sight of civilians and ninja alike going about their business greeted her, and she blended easily with the crowd.

She found her prayers of companionship were answered as she spotted Lee in a crowd of people, waving enthusiastically to her, trademark grin in place. It brought a smile to her face, and she always appreciated his presence, gallant remarks of love included. In no time he whisked his way to her.

"Beautiful Sakura, how are you this fine morning?" Lee flashed a thumbs-up at her, obviously overlooking her tired eyes. She brushed his charm off as harmless, used to it by this point.

"I'm great, Lee," was her smooth lie. Obviously the news about Sasuke hadn't gotten out yet, as she expected strong reactions from all the shinobi that knew him. She took in his attire and jounin vest. "Off to train?"

"Yes! There is no time like the present, especially for youth such as us! Would you join me for a spar? Unless of course you have other plans." He gestured to her civilian clothes.

"Actually, that sounds better than what I was going to do." Updating her equipment wasn't necessary; it was really only a desperate attempt for something to do. She hadn't been out on the field for a long time.

This made her friend practically glitter. He clapped his hands together and declared that he would meet her in training ground 4 in twenty minutes. They then departed ways, her heading home to change. Within ten minutes she was reclined patiently on the grass in the grounds, waiting for Rock Lee.

The light summer wind rustled her pink hair as she inhaled the nature around her. She enjoyed the precious peaceful moments that were sometimes hard to come by, ones that weren't tormented with thoughts of the past. She gave a soft sigh, hoping her sparing partner would be along soon. The clearing was starting to remind her of her playful and sometimes serious battles with her sensei.

Sakura was distracted by Lee in a one-armed handstand, his pace stead as he hopped closer to her in an impressive show of control, exactly on time. Flipping himself upright, Sakura could not help but admire his progress from when they were simple genin. She sat up and allowed her arms to support her weight as she assessed him from her comfortable post. Things had definitely changed a lot. She couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she'd had someone like Gai-sensei to train her. Her taijutsu could definitely use improvement. Now that she thought about it, almost all her skills could use improvement. When was the last time she had done something important for the village, or anyone for that matter?

She supposed what Tsunade-sama had been showing her recently was important… but that had nothing to do with a real fight, a real war. Things that were underground were best left there, she had quickly learned. Most of the skills she possessed were not meant for the battlefield, but for the ugly political side of society where she would remain unnoticed in history. Perhaps she was better off that way, without even her friends knowing what she could do for her home.

"Would you like to include weapons in our spar?" Lee cut her off from her brooding, and she snapped back to the present. She felt ashamed of behaving like this when Lee was doing her such a big favor.

"No, just taijutsu. Although I'm not much of a match for you, I'd still like to brush up in that area," Sakura admitted, mostly to herself.

Lee almost looked offended by her statement.

"But Sakura-chan! You are a highly sought out shinobi with great talent. Don't underestimate your power!" Lee surprised Sakura by grabbing her hand and tugging her to her feet. Sakura winced slightly at the contact. "And you must never underestimate _you_."

Sakura blushed, his bluntness hitting home, like he knew exactly what ailed her. Sakura nodded, and smiled at him, thankful for his words. He and Naruto were the same in that way, both beacons of light that she was helplessly drawn to. Not that she'd ever give Naruto the satisfaction of telling him that. Eyes level, Haruno Sakura let go of her fatigue along with Lee's hand, preparing to let the hunt begin.

"Give me a thirty second head start. Loser has to do 100 laps around the training field."

She darted into the trees, leaving Lee staring after her in a cloud of dust with amused eyes.

…

A flurry of fists and dust obscured the training area. Sakura couldn't remember the last time she'd had so many bruises.

Lee's movements were smooth and precise as usual, an impressive display of power. She dodged a kick to her stomach, and rewarded her opponent with a cracked rib. The victory was short, as she was sent on the defensive for another countless array of attacks. Initially, The kunoichi hadn't run for long until Lee had found her, and now she almost regretted asking for the spar. Getting beaten to a pulp wasn't part of her perfect plan, but she wasn't complaining. Maybe she deserved it.

Those thoughts solidified as a strong shoulder plowed into her back, and Sakura was sent skidding front first across the dirt stopping ten feet away. Groaning, Sakura rolled onto her side to protect her back from the oncoming onslaught. She waited for a moment, but no attack followed.

Peeking over her shoulder from her sprawled position, she saw her friend only standing over her with his hand held out again, looking worried.

"I'm fine, just give me a moment." She sat up and healed some of the worse injuries, ignoring Lee as he joined her on the ground. Blood dripped onto her chest. She hadn't realized her nose was broken from her last fall. Karma was a bitch.

They sat in companionable silence while she healed herself. Lee obviously noticed the extent of injury, and inquired.

"Do you want to continue?" He sounded a bit hesitant, as if he thought he would hurt her more. He watched as bones snapped back into place.

"Of course. We're just warming up…" She shut up at the noticeable effort to convince herself. She didn't even believe her own words. She stood, determined and waited for Lee to follow.

"C'mon." True to their friendship, he rejoined Sakura despite his earlier protests.

Tsunade's swirled the sake in her cup absently, observing the village from her perch at the windowsill in her office. No one had come to bother her all day, and she was grateful. She feared that with one more piece of unsettling news, she would throw up her hands and let Shizune deal with the consequences.

Of course she would never really do it, but the idea was so appealing at the moment. She turned to the documents on her desk, finger sliding down the list of ANBU she had hand selected to guard Sasuke Uchiha. She had made sure that none were of close relation, as she didn't want to cause more conflict than necessary. The hokage was also relieved to hear that Sai had reported the slightly mangled state of the prisoner, probably courtesy of her pink haired apprentice. Sakura had refrained from killing him, and that was a good sign. She was sometimes unsure how the young woman would react to being in close contact with the runaway, but this assured her that Sakura had no real intent to harm him. Only to slap him around, it seemed.

Tsunade felt a pang of pride at that.

She had sent one of the ANBU with medical knowledge to heal him. Sai had then informed her that the Uchiha was ready for interrogation, and his chakra remained non-existent, as protocol called for. Tsunade remained consistently thankful that the artist before her asked no questions and for the most part, held no interest in the prisoners. She couldn't have asked for a better patrol unit than a group of ex-root ninja who were too detached to become easy prey for cunning captives. Sai, as the head of patrol, had proved to be reliable in dealing with the squad due to his common upbringing.

She needed to know what was going on in the stupid Uchiha's pretty skull. The cell he had been placed in was designed to drain chakra and make him unaware of the passing time. It was normal before interrogation to weaken the spirit of the target, but she hoped she did not have to break him before this was over. For Naruto and Sakura's sake, she hoped that there was still something left to reclaim.

Frowning, the Godaime downed the last of her alcohol and called out to her chunnin secretary, who hurried into the room. It was time that she got the ball rolling.

"Get me Hatake Kakashi."

The blond girl nodded and retreated to send for the slippery ninja.

Reclaiming the vacant seat, the hokage waited mere minutes before the jounin puffed into existence in front of her, his posture aloof as always.

"You rang?"

Tsunade noted his voice remained light, but his exposed eye showed more strain than she had seen in a while. Well she was sure he'd be absolutely _delighted_ to hear his next assignment.

"There has been an update for your student-"

"-Former," Kakashi cut in. She just glared at him, annoyed, then continued:

"I need you to be a part of Uchiha's interrogation team."

….

_A/N: Thanks for reading! Wow the road to life is a long one. _


	5. Chapter 4

New Light- Chapter 4

_Two years earlier:_

_Slacking off in a tree branch one sunny evening in a deserted training ground, the copy ninja reveled in the peace and quiet with his cherished smut. Interrogation had kept him busy for the past year, so the peace was unusual, but welcomed. _

_He wasn't fond of the term his students had dubbed his literature, but he supposed there was a trickle of truth in the word. Where was he? The protagonist had just fallen through the tiled roof of an onsen, into the change room of the unsuspecting leading lady, of course. _

_Kakashi had been approaching his favorite heated chapter when an unexpected rumble shook the trees. He looked up to see birds in the distance screeching and soaring away, jostled by the quake. _

_Curious. _

_As lethargic he was at the moment, he reckoned it really was his job as a leaf shinobi to investigate any mishaps. Sighing, the man slipped away his novel and left his perch at record speeds. He was indeed surprised what he happened upon._

_His favorite student and colleague stood inside a giant crater in the ground, outwardly unaware of her audience of one. Her hair covered her face, drenched in sweat, and she was obviously exerting some kind of frustration. _

_With great speed she scaled the massive hole. A mass of boulders sat scattered nearby, and with inhuman strength, she heaved one greater than her arm span into the air and let it crash a short distance away. It was an intimidating sight. She had a brash confidence in battle that was similar to Naruto in some ways._

_The moment the rock left her fingers, her eyes snapped to Kakashi, realizing she was not alone. That was when he noticed the wetness on her face –"Oh no, I don't want to deal with this–" was much different from exhaustive sweating._

_Feeling it would be cowardly to leave a crying woman now that he'd been spotted, Kakashi approached the weeping kunoichi at a comfortable distance and waited for her to say something. Sakura looked at him for a moment, and then sat on one of the broken boulders that had been unfortunate enough to feel her wrath. Quietly he joined her, and waited for his former student to talk. _

"_I'm… sorry you had to see this." Her voice was thick from crying._

"_How long has it been?"_

"_It's only been bothering me a little while. I know it's stupid, and I've been in this for two months already, but it's not getting easier. Everything sort of just, built up until…" Kakashi was surprised that she sounded embarrassed._

"_Until you exploded?" Kakashi suggested._

_Sakura giggled uncomfortably and wiped her eyes with her apron. "I guess you could say that."_

_They both observed the training ground for a moment, taking in ripped up ground littered with splintered trees surrounding the giant hole. It really did look like an explosion. _

"_Interrogation is never something you get used to, Sakura. Some days are harder than others. Everyone deals with injustice in their own way." He stopped talking when he realized she was gaping at him. Had his masked slipped off? He brought a hand to his face just in case, and this made Sakura laugh, for real. _

"_What?" He asked cautiously._

"_Nothing. Well, everything. It's just funny, that's all. Usually you're too lazy to care about things. I like that you're trying to make me feel better."_

_Kakashi simply grunted, remembering why he didn't like dealing with trivial talk, but realizing he didn't mind so much right now. Sakura seemed fine with his lack of response, and he wondered when she became so good at silence. Then he remembered someone who sometimes wouldn't talk so much, and how she would already be used to it. _

_He observed a 15-year-old Sakura from the corner of his eye every now and then. She watched the sky serenely, as if she was daydreaming. The jounin hoped that he had somehow took her worries away, even for a moment. _

_For a while they sat, and evening turned into dusk. Both were lost in their own thoughts, simply enjoying each other's company. Usually when the two worked together the circumstances were unpleasant, as was their business. The change was almost cleansing, and Kakashi was glad that their time together tonight didn't consist of him handing over a gory and unconscious prisoner for her to fix up. They watched the first stars of the night peek through the canvas of blue to light up the sky. A warm breeze rustled the trees that were left standing. Sakura eventually broke the quiet._

"_I feel like I don't laugh anymore. It was nice." She gave him a genuine grin, and Kakashi felt an unexpected flip in his stomach. "Thank you."_

_She stood up quietly and walked off into the night leaving Kakashi slightly dumbfounded and fighting if he should have kept to his lonely tree. Loneliness suddenly didn't seem as appealing as it once had. _

Present Day:

Kakashi simply stared blankly at the woman set on making his life difficult as she matched his stare, expecting a reply. Interrogate Sasuke? He'd gone down that road before, and wasn't eager to go back.

Surely the Hokage had to have been drinking... a lot.

"You know, an old man like me has probably forgotten everything about all that. I'm sure you'd prefer someone more fit and strapping. Give him to a rookie. They'd love the challenge."

"That's the worst excuse you've come up with. I'm going to pretend you kept your mouth shut." Tsunade's stare almost made him cringe. "Actually, I'm going to pretend you said '_yes my beautiful and outstanding sexually appealing Hokage-sama_'. Yes, I think I like the sound of that. Thanks Hatake, you've outdone yourself today."

"I don't get a choice here, do I?"

"I'm sure you know that answer to that."

Kakashi nodded roughly and turned to leave the room. It was highly disrespectful, but he didn't care too much at the moment. But her voice halted him.

"Hatake. I know you won't tell me what's happened, but keep him in one piece. For your team. You have three days."

The man hesitated at the door for a moment, wondering if the council had anything to do with this. Pushing his luck, he asked her about it with as much politeness as he could muster.

"The council and I have concluded that if Sasuke is relatively clean, then he will be put on probation with sealed chakra. We'll work on the rest as it comes. They're itching for more Uchiha's in our ranks… we're hoping Sasuke will cooperate for both our benefits."

He stiffened slightly, maintaining his composure, and departed without a word. Tsunade released a heavy sigh, and hoped that she had made the right decision. Hopefully, despite their history, the compassion for his team would make sure he got the information they needed, without any lives lost or ruined.

The only female in Team Seven ran through the green coverage that made her village famous. She was at a disadvantage from the get-go, being slower than Lee, even with his extravagant weights. If she could hide herself, she would be able to take him by surprise. Many feet up in the air, Sakura bounded over hard bark as she contemplated how to ambush her opponent.

The familiarity of the scene abruptly reminded her that it had been a silver haired jounin that she had last sparred with, other than her mentor. She didn't notice how her fingers clawed into wood as she vaulted, her strength drawing marks effortlessly. Traitorous emotions reeled again, and she felt very much alone with herself. It seemed to be a dangerous thing lately, to be alone. Her gut was rolling uncomfortably, and she cursed herself for losing it when she should have been able to keep it together. Her emotions hadn't run along by themselves for quite some time. She was growing ashamed at her childishness.

Minutes later the young woman cursed her foolishness. She didn't know what made her think she had the slightest possibility of matching Lee.

_Don't be stupid. You are better than this! _Inner Sakura rightfully scolded. The real Sakura almost tripped from the shock at being yelled at. It had been a long time since her inner monologue was so forceful.

She was fortunate that Lee was unable to sense her presence by her chakra, as he would have no doubt felt the battle she was fighting with herself. He would be relying on his normal senses to find her, and she was going to use her abilities to outsmart him as best she could. Exactly as she had been trained. No hesitation.

Pushing out her chakra smoothly, the kunoichi identified his moving figure due East from her position… only to stumble upon another figure, not even attempting to conceal himself.

Lee's energy was faint but unconcealed. She had never tried looking for his before, and it made sense that his would be small in comparison to a regular chakra-wielding shinobi.

This other chakra belonged to the last person she wanted to see. Irritated, Sakura hoped he hadn't been here for long, watching. He didn't give any indication of leaving, so Sakura was almost certain he was unaware of her discovery. Underestimated, as usual. That only served to piss her off even more. She increased her speed.

….

Towards midday, it seemed their spar had turned into a long game of cat-and-mouse.

Rock Lee was glad that Sakura was taking the fight seriously. She was using his inability to focus chakra into consideration. He relied heavily on sight and sound to guide him and to track opponents, though the process wasn't his specialty at all. She was obviously aware of this. Positive that his opponent remained in the trees, he stood silently scanning the surroundings and contemplated between changing tactics. Should he attempt to fish her out or pursue further, he wondered.

He soon realized his mistake when he heard the dirt break below him. He was right where she wanted him.

The jonin instantly bent backwards in panic to dodge a fist that came from underneath. He felt the wind that warned she had been much too close to her target. Sakura's broke from the ground, her missed strike propelling her upwards. The man back flipped out of the way, landing gracefully on his feet, one hand extended forward in a fighting stance. Sakura had used her momentum to latch onto a branch, and now smirked down at him from her perch. Lee couldn't help but be a bit impressed that she had been a hairs' breadth from dislocating his jaw. That was a feat in itself.

"Shinobi basics." She winked at him slyly. "If the coast is clear, then you should look harder."

He couldn't help but blush a bit at her antics, though she'd been unsuccessful. The green beast admired her spirit and waited for her to strike. He prepared himself as she launched herself from her vantage point, leaping to the side to avoid her deadly punch. He knew she was formidable, even without enhanced strength. His best bet was to dodge and avert all possible contact, lest he be left in a rather unfortunate state. He wouldn't mind Nurse Haruno healing him afterwards if that was the case…

A youthful image of a smiling Sakura in her uniform infiltrated his mind. His eyes gleamed with determination as he committed to trying once more to ask her on a date. He would be successful! If he defeated her today, he would allow himself to venture on such a quest. If he lost, he would motivate himself by hopping 20 laps of one-armed handstands around Konohagakure!

He didn't once notice Sakura looking at him strangely and amused, Lee being unaware of his outward actions alongside his thoughts, fist pumps and all.

Lee brought himself out of his reverie as Sakura elbowed him in the ribs, having left her high spot in the trees. Her hair danced around her face as they exchanged blows, and he was captivated. They were lost in a flurry of strikes and parries, and Lee wouldn't have it any other way.

…

They had been at it for hours, or at the very least it felt like it. Sakura had been finally able to gift him with his own set of bruises, so she didn't feel completely useless. The initial energy boost from her anger had long since subsided.

Sakura's lungs were raw as she drew in much needed breaths. Lee stood opposite her twenty feet away, seemingly in much better condition than she. His stamina _had _always been much higher. His speed never ceased to awe the kunoichi, and she was grateful at this opportunity. She took a needed breather and noted her battered arms and her bottom was painfully bruised from when she had been slammed onto the ground. If Sasuke could see her raw elegance now, she tittered.

Though she was able to get in some decent punches ever now and then, the battle turned sour for Sakura in a (sadly, she felt) short time. The taijutsu master's well-aimed kicks sent Sakura flying on more than one occasion, but she remained resilient as always.

She'd had enough.

Knowing she would be worse for wear if the spar drew out, she sped forward in an attempt to out maneuver her opponent. Frustrated, Sakura feinted a punch to his chest. Lee moved to deflect with his forearm, but Sakura expertly tucked her fist into herself, and spun until she did a complete turn, crouching low. She simultaneously swung her leg out as she descended, hoping to catch his leg and trip him.

But despite her efforts Lee remained too fast for her quick thinking. He hopped up to avoid her swinging limb like a child playing jump rope and kicked out with both feet, thumping her square in the chest. He flipped away easily as Sakura was knocked back once again, heavily crashing into the dirt in a grimy mess. She was thankful that she had been able to land in a tight ball, or she could have sustained some serious injuries.

The cherry blossom sprawled out in a heap and gasped sharply, resting a hand plentiful of chakra on her chest to ease some of the strain.

"Lee." She wheezed out. "I think we're done for the day."

He quickly marched up and extended a hand to help her up, and she took it, giving him a smile of thanks. Always the gentleman.

"Would you allow me to buy you lunch to celebrate a successful match? Before you start your laps?"

"Oh. Umm…" She stammered pathetically, caught by surprise. Maybe she hadn't made it clear yet? It had been a long time since he had asked her. She surely hoped he meant as friends. She was about to tell him as much, when the notion was interrupted by a young genin running towards their training area excitedly.

"Sakura-san!" The lanky redheaded boy she recognized as a familiar academy student skidded to a halt almost tumbling over his own feet. Sakura thanked whatever lord blessed her with this ultimate timing.

"Haru-chan. How's the leg been?"

The red haired boy blushed and shifted from foot to foot nervously, most likely recalling the incident in which Sakura healed his broken leg after a nasty fall from tree climbing. "It's good. I'm much better at controlling my chakra now."

"That's great to hear. I'm sure Ino-sensei is proud." She couldn't help the mental image of her treetop victory as she watched her team struggle to learn the basics. These children reminded her of her own team when they were young and eager. Well, some of them still were, at heart.

"Mhm." The young genin looked sheepish. "The Hokage would like to see you as soon as you are able."

Sakura thanked Haru for the message and he quickly ran off. Sakura took this as her opportunity to leave as well, feeling slightly uncomfortable about refusing her friend, but unwilling to share it.

"I'll see you around Lee. Thanks… for not holding back too much."

"Of course, Sakura-san. I respect you too much to give you anything less." He gave her a wave and departed, probably to do more ridiculous training, even though he had won.

The back of Sakura's neck prickled again. Skillfully schooling herself to a normal façade, she allowed the pressure of the intruders' chakra to be found. She wasn't by any means a sensor, but she had enough control of her energy to be able to decipher chakra, especially one so familiar.

She almost lost her composure as she realized Kakashi remained covert, and hadn't intended to disrupt her training. He was simply watching. She quickly realized that he had been keeping his distance during their entire match. To torment her? Possibly some kind of game he was playing. She was too exhausted to figure it out. So she did the next best thing.

Sakura crudely flipped off his general direction, and set a determined pace to the hokage's headquarters. Surely his sharingan had picked _that_ up. Hopefully she wasn't going to regret the gesture later.

_Not if I can help it, _her inner self chuckled.

"Well well _well, _look who's all smug today!"

But the Hokage's apprentice looked anything but smug. Sakura quirked her brow, not amused in the slightest. True to her word, she had headed straight away to see her mentor, but now she was wondering if she should walk right back out.

Looked like she'd been beaten ten times over (which she had, literally), that was the last thing she would be feeling. Small and a bit useless would fit the description more accurately. But she'd be damned if she shared that with anyone.

"You look like you want to bolt! You're not the first one today." Tsunde laughed heartily.

Sakura narrowed her eyes at Tsunade but said nothing. She was being oddly friendly.

"Fine, fine. Apparently I'm the only one in a decent mood. Anyway, I've got a mission for you." She held out a scroll. Suddenly tense, Sakura eyed it for a moment before taking it.

"The usual?"

"In a way, yes. Due to recent theft and activity on our borders, the Daimyo wants his daughter moved to a safer location, away from the heat. Escort the girl, but check out anything unusual while you're there You're to split up when you get there. Two birds, one stone. You leave with Neji, Naruto and Genma at first light."

"With Naruto?" Sakura could feel the panic starting. Oh no, no no! She couldn't let him see her like that. Tsunade had sworn to keep him in the dark. What was her mentor suggesting? "But Shishou…"

"You and the Hyuga boy are on your own if you find anything. Don't worry."

"Oh." The younger woman visibly relaxed. She could handle that. "But is reconnaissance really necessary? I thought the Fire border was cleared up."

"It was. But we have information that it might be affiliated with new Akatsuki suppliers. Some of the items being nabbed fit the description of their weapons. They might be trying to throw us off their trail, but it's worth ensuring our weapons stay within Fire. It's not good for us if people go around committing crimes with Leaf artillery out of my sight."

It was surprising to Sakura that Akatsuki would resort to framing their village, turning others against them. They seemed more of the Go-In-Guns-Blazing type. Then again, it might be common rogues.

"So whoever it is, they're supplying our weapons to outside sources so they can't be identified? I'm almost impressed." She raised a slender finger to tap her lip absently. "It'll be tough to catch. I'm sure if the strings are being pulled on someone, it's probably under threat."

"I'm sure you'll be able to weasel it out of them." Sakura was pretty sure she could, too. "I've already informed your squad captain what to expect if you find anything. He'll fill you in on the rest. You're to meet at the gates at dawn."

"Understood." Sakura made to leave, but hesitated. "Neji could have told me this himself."

Tsunade observed her student intensely for a moment before answering. 

"I wanted to see that you were alright. Are you?"

Sakura smiled a bit sadly at her mother figure, and was touched by her concern.

"I have to be."

…

_A/N: Thanks everyone for you encouraging words! So greatly appreciated! _

_We'll be getting some answers soon, for those of you who are curious. Till next time!_


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